We need to win the league first...as much of a long shot that is right now.

We'd have probably made it with the sides we had in 2001, 2002 (?) 2004, 2007 and 2008 had this system of qualifying been in place.

Avoiding the likes of Dynamo Kiev, Bayer Leverkusen, PSV, Milan and Rangers...Bayer made the final when we played them, PSV made the semis, Milan won it and Rangers got all the way to the UEFA Cup final...

I meant I'd be satisfied with the Euroleague groupstage. CL would be heaven to me.

I'm definitely right. Just imagine their pick-up lines, Andrija's would be something like 'your eyes remind me of the Nepalese flag before the Chinese invaded and started growing wild trees, do you know BTW that wild trees come from Iceland etc etc' and I imagine PV's would be, 'me man, you woman, let's get naked on the beat of Mars na Drinu.'

He just collapsed with nobody around him, possible heart attack/seizure as he stopped breathing when the medics rushed on to the pitch. Players were in tears as it looked very bad. Ambulance staff say they got him breathing again on the way to the hospital and latest is that he is stable. Match was abandoned because of the incident, never seen anything like it.

Do any of you others think that what C.Ronaldo and Messi are doing in Spain this season is incredible? It seems like every weekend when I check the scores, they either score or assist in each game, if not both. Just look at these stats:

Messi's only problem is that he's playing for Argentina in an era where they haven't got the midfield and defence to become a proper contender for the World Cup. They're set up in a ridicolous way and I'm sure they'd do well with a good coach but the problem is again, you can only fix a team so much before it breaks down. Football is a team game and all individuals have to do their job in order for someone to shine. Just compare where he picks up the ball for Argentina (half way line..) and FCB (just outside the penalty box roughly). How can he possibly be as effective when he has to dribble past three players to reach the box and then have the endurance to go past a few others on top of everything before finishing?

He's a phenomenon, just like Cristiano..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrix

zoric man, do you have like 5 screens in your room streaming 7 channels while simultaneously following 10 livescore websites?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoRiS_ThE_BuLLetDoDgeR

ZORIC!!!

Feeling depressed about Kosovo? We still have ZORIC!!!

When someone asks for the most famous Serbian exports, you answer "Slivovica, Tesla i ZORIC!!!"

Well I think measuring a player by his success at the WC is overrated anyway. Sure, it's probably the most prestigious tournament, but it's not the toughest IMO. It happens once every four years, lasts four weeks..so many factors that can affect you in that brief time-period - injuries, cards, form etc..

In the long run, it's the performances at club level that really count nowadays IMO and Messi shines there like nobody else ever has. Of course, a brilliant WC performance would be the icing on the cake..But I don't think it should be the decisive factor when comparing Messi to Maradona and Pele for example. Then again, for most people it possibly will be.

Well said, RSF and it's the truth, despite what people think about him not winning the World Cup. Cristiano and Messi play around 60-65 sometimes over 70 games a season and score a goal each game, more or less, Messi is even the guy who assists most goals on the planet. That combination just makes him incredible. Pelé and friends didn't even play as many games to reach the finals (half of Pelé's games were friendlies basically..), it's been 32 teams since 1998 and used to be 24 first from 1982, plus these guys back in the day weren't as fit and didn't play anywhere near as many games as the best clubs do these days, hell, I'll give you a good example of why Forlán's World Cup in 2010 was so special; he played 74 games that season in all competitions..look at him now, the guy is freaking tired for two years.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrix

zoric man, do you have like 5 screens in your room streaming 7 channels while simultaneously following 10 livescore websites?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoRiS_ThE_BuLLetDoDgeR

ZORIC!!!

Feeling depressed about Kosovo? We still have ZORIC!!!

When someone asks for the most famous Serbian exports, you answer "Slivovica, Tesla i ZORIC!!!"

Football is a team game and all individuals have to do their job in order for someone to shine. Just compare where he picks up the ball for Argentina (half way line..) and FCB (just outside the penalty box roughly). How can he possibly be as effective when he has to dribble past three players to reach the box and then have the endurance to go past a few others on top of everything before finishing?

There is no doubting Messi is phenomenal but I think you answered the question yourself Zoki. Firstly he has a tremendous set-up behind him at Barca, which means for Argentina he due to his reputation/ability he has to carry the team, something that he hasn't been able to do so far. This is also something which others have done, carried teams on their back, all the greatest players do it.

I know this is also a simplistic way of looking at it because football is dynamic, a team game and a lot of things have to fall into place.

If Messi doesn't make it to Barca in his teens, he never would have made it out of Argentina, he'd have been kicked to bits there. Right there is the difference between Maradona and Messi, Diego was tougher, more resilient and had to endure much more nonsense throughout. Imagine Messi amongst all that Camorra in Naples? or having to face a Nunez. Messi is in a harmonious bubble for the most part.

We have to take all things into account.

By the way, this is not an attack on you, I am just in a writing mood this morning.

Quote:

Originally Posted by red star forever

In the long run, it's the performances at club level that really count nowadays IMO and Messi shines there like nobody else ever has.

There was no such competition like the CL plus it is absurd to compare football now and before but we still seem to do it, I guess we get bored. I think people should just appreciate football in general, whatever era.

Out of Maradona or Messi though, I know who I'd rather watch and it's definitely not the mechanical stat machine of the modern era. Again, just personal preference.

Diego was (still probably is..) a freaking crack head, I'm sorry but I don't buy that thing about "carrying a team". This is a team game. Maradona would also fail big time with this Argentina-team, you have to have certain components in order to be successfull and they haven't got it. As for Messi; yes, he's protected but isn't that what we want? We want to enjoy the best players because they've got that special something that we haven't got? Ok, I don't like the part where the majority use it to dive but he also gets kicked down plenty of times, not to be compared to the way Maradona was treated in the worst moments though, Goikoetxea . Yeah, it's hard to compare because they're playing in different eras, you'll always have some things that'll go for a the modern player and others that won't for someone of the old guard. I personally think it's a lot of nostalgia as well involved, people not being able to filter that part away when comparing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrix

zoric man, do you have like 5 screens in your room streaming 7 channels while simultaneously following 10 livescore websites?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoRiS_ThE_BuLLetDoDgeR

ZORIC!!!

Feeling depressed about Kosovo? We still have ZORIC!!!

When someone asks for the most famous Serbian exports, you answer "Slivovica, Tesla i ZORIC!!!"

We don't have the luxury of seeing all of Diego's games from his career whereas Messi's career's documented pretty much all the way since he joined Barcelona with Barça TV broadcasting them from them being kids and so on. There's probably some crazy Chinese or Arab guys sitting with all his games at FCB so far. Maradona certainly wasn't as consistent in terms of producing goals and assists though because of various issues but then again, you have to consider the circumstances as well. That's why every one of us should just enjoy watching them while they're active.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andrix

zoric man, do you have like 5 screens in your room streaming 7 channels while simultaneously following 10 livescore websites?

Quote:

Originally Posted by BoRiS_ThE_BuLLetDoDgeR

ZORIC!!!

Feeling depressed about Kosovo? We still have ZORIC!!!

When someone asks for the most famous Serbian exports, you answer "Slivovica, Tesla i ZORIC!!!"